Breaking it Down – 2011 Week Two
Andy Lopusnak
Thursday March 24, 2011
For the first time since Week 17 of 2008, the AFL didn’t have a team on a bye week (Thank whatever deity or deities you worship). The defending champs are 0-2 for the first time in franchise history. Milwaukee and Tampa Bay both got doubled up. Three of the four teams that had byes last week won (Cleveland, Orlando and Utah won, Iowa lost). Arizona, Chicago, Dallas and San Jose are the lone 2-0 teams. This and much more await the brave in Week Two’s Breaking it Down…
Before we get started on an other interesting week of AFL action, I wanted to express my disappointment in Spokane head coach Rob Keefe for refusing to talk to the media after his team's 61-55 loss to Cleveland. This is something that is deplorable in this league. The AFL is a niche sport and its niche is its accessibility to players, coaches, cheerleaders and owners, just as much as the high-scoring, non-stop action on the field. His team lost by six points not sixty. It sucks, but you take two minutes and talk to the media. Say some stupid cliché like every other coach and then go to the locker room.
This is unacceptable and unprofessional behavior for a coach that felt was shafted for Coach of the Year last year (he got my vote), but maybe his peers knew better because Spokane was so much more dominate than any other team. Last year, Keefe was caught on national TV swiping at a ball in the Milwaukee playoff game and he still constantly stands on the boards during the game blocking the view of fans.
Spokane is a fantastic market with not only great fan support, but really good media coverage. That's not the case in every market (trust me, I know from personal experiences). Some have to beg and almost bribe the media to cover their team. You burn the Spokesman-Review and local TV and they might limit or eliminate coverage in the future.
On Monday, the Shock fired its offensive coordinator and Keefe will now handle the offensive play calling. I’m sure, he’ll be on his Ps and Qs this week on NFL Network and I expect Spokane to beat Iowa to get its first road victory since barely beating the Barnstormers last July (48-42). That game was also on NFL Network. I believe in you coach. There’s no doubt about your coaching ability. Just don’t try to not interfere with game play, blow off the media or block the view of the fans and I have no beef (oh, and start winning). It’s not the end of the world, last year the Shock was 2-2 before winning eleven in a row.
Now on to the show...
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WEEK TWO RESULTS |
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UTAH 72, Tampa Bay 36
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Orlando 47, NEW ORLEANS 34
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CHICAGO 62, Philadelphia 28
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JACKSONVILLE 71, Georgia 57
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SAN JOSE 60, Kansas City 57
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DALLAS 64, Tulsa 40
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Pittsburgh 58, IOWA 28
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ARIZONA 62, Milwaukee 31
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Cleveland 61, SPOKANE 55
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Home team in ALL CAPS
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BYE: None (finally)
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THE DEUCE IS NOT LOOSE
The combined records of the four remaining former af2 teams are 0-7: Iowa (0-1), Milwaukee (0-2), Spokane (0-2) and Tulsa (0-2). If you include Georgia (1-1) and New Orleans (0-2), which both are in the AFL's version of the witness protection program (both were af2 teams last season) and those six teams are 1-10 with Georgia the only team with a win. Sadly, that lone win was against Tulsa.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM THIS WEEKEND’S GAMES
Utah 72, Tampa Bay 36
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Utah offensive coordinator Matt Sauk held the same position last season for the ArenaBowl champion Spokane Shock. In just one game, his offensive unit has produced most points for the Blaze since beating the Los Angeles Avengers 76-63 on April 13, 2007. By the way with Sauk, Spokane is off to its worst start in franchise history.
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Last week, the Storm held New Orleans to a Week One low 40 points and this week allowed 72 to a team that was 2-14 last season.
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Blaze QB Tommy Grady accounted for nine of Utah’s 11 touchdowns (seven passing, two rushing). He completed 80.6% of his passes for 306 yards.
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Grady’s favorite target was WR Aaron Boone, who had eleven catches for 135 yards with two scores.
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The 36-point loss is the Storm’s worst since losing to Orlando by 38 in 2006. In that 52-13 road loss, Tampa Bay was down 28-0 at halftime before scoring twice in the third quarter. This is the second worst road loss and third overall loss in franchise history.
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In Tampa Bay’s last three games (dating back to last season), the Storm has had three different starting QBs. This marks the first three-game stretch in Tampa Bay franchise history that this has happened.
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Storm LB Cliff Dukes added to his league-leading sack total in the game.
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In a losing effort, Tampa Bay WR Hank Edwards had 110 receiving yards and three scores on seven catches.
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A week after posting five rushing scores and no passing TDs, the Storm had five passing touchdowns and no rushing scores. It’s pretty safe to say this is likely the first time in AFL history that this has happened in back-to-back weeks.
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Utah converted six-of-eight of its third-down conversions.
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Tampa Bay’s 36 points are its fewest since beating the Columbus Destroyers 34-32 on April 29, 2007. That year, the Storm had six games in which it scored 40 or fewer points (2-4 record).
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The Blaze played at Energy Solutions Arena in downtown Salt Lake City for the first time since 2008. Last year, the Blaze played at Maverick Center and the difference (for a Thursday night game no less) is significant. Utah averaged 5,018 fans in 2010 and in this game alone more than doubled it.
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This marks the first time since 2002 that the Storm has had different starting quarterbacks start the first two games. That year, the Storm posted a franchise all-time low six wins.
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The 72 points allowed by the Storm is the most on the road since April 25 of last year when the Milwaukee Iron beat Tampa Bay 72-61.
Orlando 47, New Orleans 34
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The VooDoo is 0-2. Last year, the team as the Bossier-Shreveport was 2-0 at this point of the season, but lost 13 of its next 14 before taking the Mayflower truck south to the Big Easy.
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Orlando won its first season opener since 2007 when the Preds beat Tampa Bay 52-27. Last year, Orlando lost its first three games.
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Predators QB Nick Hill passed for 290 yards, four scores and an interception. He also added two rushing scores and 44 yards on eleven carries.
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Hill's favorite target, T.T. Toliver, accounted for over 50% of his yards (146) and completions (13) to go along with two touchdowns.
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In another losing effort, VooDoo WR/KR P.J. Perry posted another 200-yard all-purpose game. He accounted for 252 yards (118 receiving, 138 returns, -4 rushing) and three touchdowns.
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Orlando has won its past three regular season games dating back to last year.
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New Orleans opened the scoring with a touchdown but never led again.
Chicago 62, Philadelphia 28
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After the Soul scored on the game’s first play from scrimmage, the Rush went on a 40-point spree until Philadelphia got a touchdown to end the first half down 40-14.
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The Soul failed to convert any of its three third-down attempts, but converted two-of-three fourth-down attempts.
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A week after scoring six touchdowns, Soul WR Donovan Morgan was held with a score.
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Rush QB Russ Mocha completed 21-of-29 for 189 yards with three passing scores and an interception. He also had a rushing TD.
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Chicago’s defense had five sacks, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown).
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The league’s first net recovery of the season occurred in the ten-minute mark of the second quarter.
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Soul backup QB Ryan Vena added two rushing scores and became just the 25th player in league history to post 40 career rushing touchdowns. He now has 41, which is tied for 21st with current Dallas head coach Clint Dolezel.
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After that opening Soul TD, Philadelphia didn’t score on its next five possessions and gave up a net recovery for a score in that timeframe.
Jacksonville 71, Georgia 57
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Sharks QB Aaron Garcia had as many touchdowns (six) as incompletion (six).
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In a losing effort, Georgia had three players with at least 117 yards or more- Maurice Purify (14-166-4), Larry Shipp (8-118-3) and C.J. Johnson (7-117-0).
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Jacksonville defensive back Michaeux Robinson posted seven solo stops, two interceptions and five pass breakups.
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Georgia led at 7-3 to end the first quarter, but never did so again after Jacksonville scored on Garcia’s first TD pass early in the second quarter.
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Sharks kicker Marco Capozzoli missed three extra points and a 16-yard field goal.
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Jacksonville led 50-21 until the final seconds of the third quarter before Georgia went on a 36-21 run to make it a 14-point loss.
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Garcia threw a touchdown on his final three pass attempts of the game.
San Jose 60, Kansas City 57
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SaberCats win it on an 18-yard field goal by rookie kicker Juan Gamboa with just two seconds left. He missed three PATs and was flagged for a personal foul on the kickoff after the eventual game-winning score that allowed KC to attempt a 50-yard field goal.
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San Jose WR/KR Rodney Wright posted a 2011 AFL high 298 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including an AFL-record tying 58-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
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The Command was just two-of-ten on third downs, but on fourth down was five-of-seven.
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In a losing effort, Kansas City QB J.J. Raterink tossed for 364 yards and eight touchdowns, however, an interception with three minutes left while up by a point led to San Jose touchdown.
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Saber Cats QB Mark Grieb completed 69% of his passes for 340 yards and four scores. He also scored San Jose’s final touchdown on a two-yard run. It was his first rushing score since March 22, 2008 in a 59-56 loss against Dallas.
Dallas 64, Tulsa 40
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Game featured the top two rushing teams in the league. Tulsa ended the game with 92 yards on the ground with three touchdowns on eight total carriers, while Dallas had 32 yards and a touchdown on eleven rushes.
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Talons QB Bobby Reid became the first player in league history with back-to-back games with at least 80 yards rushing and three rushing scores. This week, he had 84 on the ground with three touchdowns (on just seven carries).
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Dallas has won as many games as it did in the first 15 weeks of the 2010 season. The next Vigilantes win will give Dallas as many wins as all of last year.
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Tulsa exploded for 33 points in the second quarter; however, the Talons were shutout in the first and third, while scoring seven points in the fourth.
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The Talons trailed 21-6, then thanks to a failed Dallas onside kick and an interception tied the game at 21. It was the only time the game was tied.
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Dallas led 42-40 with eleven minutes to go before scoring the game’s final 15 points.
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Tulsa’s final three possessions consisted of a safety, a fumble lost and an interception.
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Vigilantes QB Dan Raudabaugh passed for 297 yards with eight scores and an interception. Four of those scores went to WR Matt Fields, who caught six passes for 123 yards.
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Dallas was three-for-three on fourth-down conversions, including two Raudabaugh passing touchdowns.
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Vigilantes head coach Clint Dolezel became the first former ArenaBowl-winning starting QB to win his first two games as an AFL head coach.
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Did you know there have been just four former ArenaBowl winning QBs to be a head coach in AFL history (Dolezel, Jay Gruden, Pat O’Hara and Michael Trigg)? Gruden won two titles as the head man in Orlando. Trigg won ArenaBowl XIV with Dolezel as his QB. O’Hara was one game away from taking the Preds to the ArenaBowl last year in his first season as a head coach.
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This marks the first time since 2008 that a Dallas-based AFL team has won its first two games. That year, the Dolezel-quarterbacked Desperados won their first seven and finished 12-4 on the year.
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Tulsa is 0-2 for the first time in team history (which includes ten years in the af2).
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The Talons announced on Wednesday that the team was giving out free tickets to the home opener this Monday. Who’s the genius that decided, “Hey, let’s have Tulsa open the season on the road for two weeks, then have a team with doesn’t fill the building have its home opener on a Monday?” It’s probably the same mastermind that said, “Hey, let’s make sure Milwaukee’s first three home games are on a Monday so hardly anyone will go to the game.” Monday night games lead to poor attendance, which eventually leads to teams moving or folding. If the old LA Avengers could finagle to get Friday, Saturday or Sunday games in the busiest arena in the country, then the Talons (and Mustangs) have no excuse not to avoid this attendance killing day.
Pittsburgh 58, Iowa 28
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The expansion Power won its first AFL game and marks the first win by a Pittsburgh-based AFL franchise since 1990 when the then-Gladiators beat the Washington Commandos 30-23 on the road.
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Power QB Bernard Morris was placed on injured reserve with an arm injury and will miss at least three games. Before he left in the game, Morris completed 14-of-21 for 114 yards with two scores.
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Morris’ replacement, Kevin McCabe, completed ten-of-14 for 110 yards with three TDs and no interceptions.
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Pittsburgh’s Lonnell Dewalt had a receiving touchdown and an interception returned for a touchdown in the game.
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Iowa scored one touchdown per quarter.
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Barnstormers lineman Chance Talbert recorded 6.5 tackles, three sacks and forced a fumble.
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Iowa QB Brad Banks threw three interceptions. His favorite target was Todd Blythe, who had nine catches for 131 yards and all four of Banks’ TD passes.
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The Power converted all four of its fourth-down conversions.
Arizona 62, Milwaukee 31
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The Rattlers have won their first two games to start a season since 2000.
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Arizona welcomed back the reigning AFL Rookie of the Year, who caught four balls for 102 yards and two scores.
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Congrats on the name change Milwaukee because the new Mustangs have started just like the old Mustangs. The old Mustangs lost at least its first two games in that team’s final three seasons (six of their eight seasons the ‘Stangs lost at least their first two games).
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Rattlers QB Nick Davila tossed seven touchdowns to four different receivers.
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Mustangs QB Eric Ward had three rushing scores, but tossed just 181 yards with a TD and two interceptions.
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The game was tied at 17 at halftime.
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In the first half, the Mustangs converted three-of-four third downs, but failed to convert one in the second half.
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Milwaukee was outscored 38-14 in the second half.
Cleveland 61, Spokane 55
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Gladiators QB John Dutton hurt his Achilles tendon in the second to last possession of the game and will miss the rest of the season. Before leaving, he had six touchdowns and no interceptions – he was named the Offensive Player of the Game
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Cleveland backup QB Kurt Rocco tossed what would be the game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds left to Troy Bergeron, who caught eight balls for 134 yards and four scores.
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This was Bergeron’s first AFL game since a 2008 playoff loss to Cleveland when he was a member of the Georgia Force. That game, he had 14 catches for 178 yards and four scores.
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Spokane QB Kyle Rowley has tossed an interception on the team’s first possession in both weeks of the season.
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The Shock is 0-2 for the first time in franchise history (dating back to af2 times). Also, this marks the first three-game regular season losing streak in team history.
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Spokane is 1-2 vs. Cleveland and 12-3 against every other team in the regular season since joining the AFL last season.
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The Shock becomes just the third defending champion to lose its first two games joining the 2001 Predators (2000 champs), which failed to repeat and lost their first three games, and the 1994 Storm (1993 champs), which also failed to repeat and lost its first two. Both made the playoffs but lost in the first round.
BREAKING IT DOWN PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Utah QB Tommy Grady
The former OKC Yard Dawgz signal caller was nearly flawless in his first game with the Blaze. He accounted for nine total touchdowns and picked apart the league’s top scoring defense for 72 points. Grady completed 66.7% of his passes for 306 yards with seven TDs and no interceptions. He also had two rushing touchdowns. Three of his incompletions cane on the team’s first drive, which was the only one Utah failed to score a touchdown. For me, the biggest stat for Grady was no lost fumbles. Last year, he was notorious for botching the center-QB exchange which directly led to loss at Tampa Bay last year. This is Grady’s second Breaking it Down Player of the Week. He previously won in Week Six of 2010 when he completed 81% of his passes for 430 yards with ten touchdowns in the highest-scoring game in league history (88-79 OKC win over Bossier-Shreveport).
Andy Lopusnak is an 11-year AFL front office veteran, spending time with the Tampa Bay Storm, San Diego Riptide and Grand Rapids Rampage. He works as a statistician for NFL and college sports for CBS Sports and is a freelance photographer. Lopusnak received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of South Florida and has been a fan of ArenaBall since its inception.
